After listening to much debate about President Obama's speech to students the past week I was a little concerned. I didn't vote for the guy and a speech to students about education seems pretty harmless but I often think that where there's smoke there's bound to be some fire. So Monday I sat down and read it. I seriously found nothing inappropriate and/or disconcerting. In fact, it seemed to me that he was simply reinforcing all the things I try to teach my kids and this mom accepts reinforcement from anyone!! I was anxious to hear what they would remember from the speech and talk with them about it. I was very pleased with their answers to the question: "What do you remember from the speech?"
Ivy: "He said we had to do homework BEFORE we played the XBOX or Wii or Playstation." AMEN I say!!
Ethan: "He said if we don't work hard on our homework we are not just letting ourselves down but we're also letting down our family and our country." I like that.
Eva: "He said that you can't get a good job without a good education."
After more discussion they also remembered (I think Ethan remembered this) that everyone has a responsibility to discover what they're good at and then get really good at that thing and that you need to take advantage of your education in order to do that. We also talked about goal setting. They also talked about how he said that if you think you're going to make lots of money singing or playing sports you'd better think again because it probably won't happen and you're better off getting a good education.
After we talked about the speech I noticed that Ethan spent 30-45 minutes studying his math, Ivy practiced the piano without being asked (the other two did too but that's not a major achievement), and Ethan and Ivy let me help them practice for their spelling tests. I LOVE it when someone else teaches my kids stuff I try to teach them. I know Vince and I have the biggest influence in their life but when other people step in and reinforce what I'm teaching at home it makes my life SOOOO much easier. I've decided that just because I didn't vote for President Obama and disagree with most of what his administration is trying to do that there are perhaps some positive contributions he's making. I also wish our country wasn't so polarized and driven by fear so much that kids and parents have to feel like they can't participate in an opportunity like my kids had yesterday. Hopefully my kids will also be learning from my example and learn to keep an open mind and study and learn for themselves about each individual issue before forming hard and fast opinions.
3 comments:
I was pretty shocked at all the controversy after I read the speech as well. I thought it was really weird that people kept saying Obama was pushing his agenda onto our kids. How can telling kids to work hard and educate themselves be a bad thing? Shouldn't that be on everyone's agenda?
I couldn't believe all the controversy either. I thought it was "much ado about nothing", and I think it's sad that people would let political views get in the way of letting their children listen to the president of our country. I even read one woman on facebook saying, "Sure there's nothing wrong with the speech itself, but I don't want my kids to hear it because it's OBAMA and he's a SOCIALIST and socialists are EVIL."
Since we are overseas my kids didn't hear it in school. I think the majority of the hoopla is one of those "well when Bush (the elder) did the EXACT same thing the Dems went nuts saying he was pushing his agenda so Obama is going to get the same treatment they gave our guy". What does that translate into, Moms out there? "Well he hit me so I hit him!"
I liked the speech as well and I'm a right wing conservative nut job. I'm sure I could also go back to the argument regarding his administration and this speech "Well this movie is rated 'R' but it has some really good educational parts in it". I have to look at the administration as a whole, his motivations as well as the fact he has surrounded himself with controversial people who are avowed communists and radicals (this is fact from their own mouths). That being said, I think it is very important that my kids learn the lesson that you must respect the office of the President even if you don't agree with him and you must take the time to listen to what is being said so you get the entire picture. This lesson will serve them well in the future when they have to respect their teachers even though they don't like them or respect their bosses even though he/she might be a jerk.
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